Clamping assembly for woodworking knife

Abstract

A clamping assembly to hold a woodworking knife in place in a woodworking machine. The clamping assembly comprises a clamping component comprising a body and an actuator. The body has three discrete contact positions distributed thereon: 1) a fulcrum located generally at one end, 2) a knife abutting portion located generally at the other end, and 3) a bearing surface located elsewhere. The actuator is for applying a clamping force to the body along a clamping axis located intermediate of the knife abutting portion and the fulcrum. The fulcrum is a surface having a normal that is at an angle to the clamping axis. The bearing surface is a surface wherein a line normal to the bearing surface intersects the Hoe normal to the fulcrum at a position outside of the clamping component at a location farther askew of the clamping axis than the fulcrum.

1 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine, said clamping assembly comprising:
 a clamping component comprising a body, said body being sized and shaped to have three discrete contact positions distributed on said body, said three discrete contact positions comprising a fulcrum located generally at one end, a knife abutting portion located generally at the other end for abutting said one or more knife elements, and a bearing surface located elsewhere; and   an actuator for applying a clamping force to said body along a clamping axis located intermediate of said knife abutting portion and said fulcrum;   said fulcrum being formed as a substantially planar surface wherein a line normal to said fulcrum is at an angle to said clamping axis;   said bearing surface being formed as a substantially planar surface positioned on said body wherein a line normal to said bearing surface intersects said line normal to said fulcrum, at a position outside of said clamping component at a location farther askew of said clamping axis than said fulcrum.   
     
     
         2 . The clamping assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said angle is at least 20 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The clamping assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said angle is at least 30 degrees. 
     
     
         4 . The clamping assembly of any one of  claims 1 ,  2 , or  3 , wherein said knife abutting portion is positioned askew of said clamping axis. 
     
     
         5 . The clamping assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said bearing surface is positioned away from said fulcrum, and on the same side of a dividing plane as said knife abutting portion, the dividing plane being perpendicular to said clamping axis, and passing through said fulcrum. 
     
     
         6 . The clamping assembly of  claim 5  wherein said line normal to said bearing surface and said line normal to said fulcrum form an angle of 70 degrees or less. 
     
     
         7 . The clamping assembly of  claim 6  wherein said bearing surface is positioned askew of said clamping axis in a direction towards said knife abutting portion. 
     
     
         8 . The clamping assembly of  claim 6  wherein said line normal to said bearing surface is substantially perpendicular to said clamping axis. 
     
     
         9 . The clamping assembly of  claim 6  wherein said clamping assembly further comprises a second clamping component. 
     
     
         10 . The clamping assembly of  claim 9  wherein said bearing surface abuts said second clamping component. 
     
     
         11 . The clamping assembly of  claim 10  wherein said fulcrum abuts said second clamping component. 
     
     
         12 . The clamping assembly of  claim 10  wherein said actuator comprises at least one threaded fastener. 
     
     
         13 . The clamping assembly of  claim 12  wherein said at least one threaded fastener engages said clamping component to develop said clamping force. 
     
     
         14 . A clapping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine, said clamping component comprising:
 a body sized and shaped to have at least three discrete contact positions distributed on said body, said three discrete contact positions comprising, (1) a fulcrum located generally at one end, (2) a knife abutting portion, located generally at the other end, tor abutting said one or more knife elements, and (3) a bearing surface located elsewhere on said body;   said body further including an opening through said body, said opening having an axis located intermediate of said knife abutting portion and said fulcrum;   said fulcrum being formed as a substantially planar surface wherein a line normal to said substantially planar surface is positioned at an angle to said axis of said opening.   
     
     
         15 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a bass member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said angle is at least twenty degrees. 
     
     
         16 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said angle is at least thirty degrees. 
     
     
         17 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in any one of  claims 14 ,  15 , or  16 , wherein said knife abutting portion is positioned askew of said axis of said opening. 
     
     
         18 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein said bearing surface is positioned away from said fulcrum and on the same side of a dividing plane as said knife abutting portion, the dividing plane being perpendicular to said axis of said opening and passing through said fulcrum. 
     
     
         19 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said bearing surface is positioned askew of said axis of said opening in a direction towards said other end. 
     
     
         20 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein said bearing surface is formed as a substantially planar surface, and wherein a line normal to said bearing surface intersects said line normal to said fulcrum at a position outside of said clamping component at a location farther askew of said axis of said opening than said fulcrum. 
     
     
         21 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said line normal to said bearing surface and said line normal to said fulcrum form an angle that is 70 degrees or less. 
     
     
         22 . A clamping component for use in securing one or more knife elements onto a base member of a wood working machine as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein said line normal to said bearing surface is substantially perpendicular to said axis of said opening. 
     
     
         23 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine, said clamping assembly comprising;
 a clamping component sized and shaped to have at least three discrete contact positions, said discrete contact positions comprising a fulcrum located generally at one end, a knife abutting portion located generally at the other end for abutting said one or more knife elements, and a bearing surface located elsewhere; and   an actuator for applying a clamping force along a clamping axis located intermediate of said knife abutting portion and said fulcrum;   said fulcrum being formed wherein the application of said clamping force results in a reaction force developed at said fulcrum having a line of action that is at an angle to said clamping axis;   said bearing surface being sized, shaped, oriented, and positioned wherein the application of said clamping force results in a reaction force developed at said bearing surface having a line of action that intersects with said line of action of said reaction force developed at said fulcrum at a position outside of said clamping component at a location farther askew of said clamping axis than said fulcrum.   
     
     
         24 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said angle is at least 20 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said angle is at least 30 degrees. 
     
     
         26 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in any one of  claims 23 ,  24 , or  25 , wherein said knife abutting portion is positioned askew of said clamping axis. 
     
     
         27 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein said bearing surface is positioned away from said fulcrum, and on the same side of a dividing plane as said knife abutting portion, the dividing plane being perpendicular to said clamping axis, and passing through said fulcrum. 
     
     
         28 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 21 , further including a second clamping component. 
     
     
         29 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein said bearing surface abuts said second clamping component. 
     
     
         30 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein said fulcrum abuts said second clamping component. 
     
     
         31 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a woodworking machine as claimed in  claim 27 , further including a base member wherein said bearing surface abuts said base member. 
     
     
         32 . A clamping assembly for clamping one or more knife elements onto a base member of a woodworking machine, said clamping assembly comprising:
 first and second clamping components for securing said one or more knife elements therebetween, said first clamping component abutting said second clamping component at least at one location;   said first clamping component being sized and shaped to hare three distinct contact positions, said distinct contact positions comprising: (1) a fulcrum located generally at one end, (2) a knife abutting portion, located generally at the other end, for abutting said one or more knife elements, end (3) a bearing surface located elsewhere; and   an actuator for applying a clamping force to said first clamping component along a clamping axis located intermediate of said knife abutting portion and said fulcrum;   said fulcrum being formed as a substantially planar surface wherein a line normal to said substantially planar surface is at an angle to said clamping axis;   said bearing surface being sired, shaped, oriented, and positioned wherein a line normal to said bearing surface intersects said line normal to said fulcrum at a position outside of said first clamping component at a location farther askew of said clamping axis than said fulcrum.   
     
     
         33 . The clamping assembly of  claim 32 , wherein said angle is at least 20 degrees. 
     
     
         34 . The clamping assembly of  claim 32 , wherein said angle is at least 30 degrees. 
     
     
         35 . The clamping assembly of any one of  claims 32 ,  33  or  34 , wherein said knife abutting portion is positioned askew of said clamping axis. 
     
     
         36 . The clamping assembly of  claim 35 , wherein said bearing surface is positioned away from said fulcrum, and on the same side of a dividing plane as said knife abutting portion, the dividing plane being perpendicular to said clamping axis, and passing through said fulcrum. 
     
     
         37 . The clamping assembly of  claim 30 , wherein said bearing surface is formed as a substantially planar surface. 
     
     
         38 . The clamping assembly of  claim 37 , wherein said line normal to said bearing surface and said line normal to said fulcrum form an angle of 70 degrees or less. 
     
     
         39 . The clasping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said line normal to said bearing surface is substantially perpendicular to said clamping axis. 
     
     
         40 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said first clamping component abuts said second clamping component at said fulcrum and said first clamping component pivots about said fulcrum under the action of said clamping force applied by said actuator. 
     
     
         41 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said second clamping component is affixed to said base member and said first clamping component is moveable between an open position and a closed position for securing said one or more knife elements therebetween. 
     
     
         42 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said first clamping component comprises a rear clamping component and said second clamping component comprises a front clamping component. 
     
     
         43 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said first clamping component comprises a front clamping component and said second clamping component comprises a rear clamping component. 
     
     
         44 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said base member further includes a pocket for affixing said second clamping component, said pocket comprising at least one contact surface for abutting said second clamping components. 
     
     
         45 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said bearing surface abuts said second clamping component. 
     
     
         46 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said bearing surface abuts said base member. 
     
     
         47 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said base member is a refutable body of cylindrical, conical, or disc form. 
     
     
         48 . The clamping assembly of  claim 38 , wherein said actuator is in the form of at least one threaded fastener. 
     
     
         49 . The clamping assembly of  claim 48 , wherein said at least one threaded fastener engages said first clamping component to develop said clamping force. 
     
     
         50 . The clamping assembly of  claim 49 , wherein said at least one threaded fastener passes through a corresponding opening in at least one of said clamping components. 
     
     
         51 . The clamping assembly of  claim 50 , wherein said at least one threaded fastener fits into a corresponding recess at least on one of said clamping components.